timely buckets

I know some of y'all are following the TX Gerrymandering story — I *highly* recommend this piece as a digestible explainer of TX Redistricting w/ ample historical context, specifically *how* Republicans have rigged the state illegally for one party control. My Dad @lspmatt.bsky.social is quoted.

Luka Dončić 2.0 Has Entered the Chat The NBA All-Star opens up exclusively to Men’s Health about his next-level offseason training program.

It's all noise until I see him play NBA regular season games looking healthy & fit but the mere notion of Luka holding himself accountable for his conditioning to this extent is

1. New in his career

2. Unsurprising if you've followed other superstars closely (26 y/o)

3. Incredibly scary

Just chiming in to say fuck yeah Sabrina 3️⃣🏀✨

Also some folks are all up in their feelings about Angel Reese. I could take or leave some aspects of her media persona but if you can't see her value as an *elite* 2-way rebounder and above average passer on the break + out of the post, idk what you're watching. She's flawed but v good already.

Traveling skeetless for the last few days but just acknowledging that I've watched some Flagg and, among many positives, the most impressive to me is his range as a help defender. Great instincts, court awareness, and timing off-ball. Some hip mobility limitations apparent on-ball vs smalls but nbd.

Of all the risks Republican servility to Trump exposed us to, the staggering incompetence in foreign affairs feels most dangerous a lot of the time. It's easy to overlook how vulnerable his rudderless leadership makes us all, in part *because* each new choice lacks cohesion with the last. Chaos.

The thing about the Epstein stuff (lack thereof) is that it's a question of how committed mainstream media elites *and* their consumers are to getting clear answers about Trump's involvement. *Consumers* of media have to demand real reporting relentlessly, for more than a week. Hard to imagine 😓.

🤙

YouTube video by Stephan Diethelm Nicholas Payton Quartet @ Widder Bar Zürich 11.11.2008

Nope, pianists (my 🎹 takes are more confident than my 🥁 ones).

For drummers, I like Brian Blade, Billy Cobham, and Jason JT Thomas but they're more ~fusion~ (lol). Cory Fonville is a young dude killing it.

Marcus Gilmore is more in that "jazz" category, love his shit. Sneaky crossover thing here ⬇️

Brain is indeed breaking but I'm having a good time with it lol

Oscar Peterson
Bill Evans
Herbie Hancock
Gerald Clayton
McCoy Tyner

I imagine a lot of ppl will eye-roll this but they shouldn't...

This dude Toby from my local Democrats' office knocked my door last Sun to confirm my info in their system and invite me to a summer event. It was a sweaty 90° outside.

Guy is *80*. Volunteer. Smile on his face.

Be more like Toby.

I try to think of these queries in terms of impact on *me* throughout my life, esp. upon first exposure...never really landed on an iron-clad 5 but this mix is fairly representative for me:

Biggie
Busta Rhymes
Nipsey Hussle
Missy Elliott
Lyrics Born

Hard not to include Danny Brown re: 2008-2013.

KD comp 🤝

23 & 5 on 8/11 shooting + a block while other teammates eat is exactly the kind of prime KD-esque efficiency/gravitational force Paige can offer if she can stay healthy as her game matures. I only caught the highlight but she's already finding her offensive groove in the W. Really cool to see.

My god that second Luna goal was filthy. Catching the highlight now.

Yeah I agree Reaves was pretty pedestrian against Minnesota, outright bad at times. But I think that's secondary to whether or not Ayton defends the rim adequately. Lack of anything to change shots in the middle killed the Lakers, especially re: Randle drives.

Re: Ayton ppl do undervalue how Luka dragged the 2022 Mavs to the WCF. Weird west that year & ppl like to glaze Brunson in hindsight, but it's not beyond 77 to boost a flawed roster to unimagined heights. If no LeBron trade, Lakers ceiling mostly depends on Luka's health & Ayton's defensive effort.

I know this much, LeBron to Dallas wouldn't make me want to root for the Mavs more than I do right now.

Well it doesn't *not* seem like Nico is slowly reassembling the 2020 Lakers. Is Dwight still around? Rondo? Swap Klay for Kuz and call it a day?

Good window for the USWNT. Really encouraging to see Lavelle, Thompson, and Coffey look in form and dangerous + some really nice flashes from Ryan, Hutton, and Patterson. Girma & Sonnet looking spry. Biyendolo wreaking some havoc. Lots of hard choices to make down the road but the options feel good!

James Dildo Baggins loves second breakfast

I do like the Exum signing. This is a pro Dante Exum webpage.

What's interesting about it is that it's gonna be a weird basketball puzzle for JJ/Luka/LeBron? to solve in terms of how the team functions on the court, esp. on offense. It's not like Ayton is some aggressive downhill rim threat despite his athletic ability. They'll need to be creative.

Yeah I can't argue with it after missing out on Turner & Capela. It does feel like his last chance to audition for a bigger contract and that's not nothing. He's never played with anyone as good as Luka or with as much stature as LeBron.

All that said, I don't see it leading to a deep run.

Coffey just muscling Grosso off the ball in midfield >>>

Alyssa Thompson put the fuckin *jets* on to go after that rebound on the left wing

Totally fair. Lopez being able to stretch the floor isn't nothing but he was never a perfect fit. I don't think Ayton is all upside though. Guy obviously has toxic work habits at the very least and runs the risk of bogging the locker room down with his bullshit. All the other guys do not.

2 Lavelle set pieces. 2 goals. Line em up.

A few times a month I laugh to myself as I remember "Dominayton"

Awesome read by Dickey on the second save, she anticipated the touch right instead of the one timer.